Defending U.S. Women's Open champ Cristie Kerr a psycho, but that's not all bad

EDINA, Minn. (June 29, 2008) - You’ve probably dated a woman like Cristie Kerr at some point in your life (and have the war stories to tell about it). Or you probably complain to your girlfriends about the woman at work who’s like Cristie Kerr.

Watching Kerr play in the U.S. Women’s Open, one can only come to one conclusion: Kerr’s a little batty. And you can probably drop the little.

She holds an almost running monologue with her clubs, her ball, the grass, the trees. And yes, a lot of golfers talk to the ball as it’s in the air, but not like Kerr. She’s screaming at hers almost every shot, giving it the most detailed instructions this side of a Martha Stewart cooking show.

Then, there is Kerr’s shot routine - which would put the slowest cup-adjusting, batting-glove-flexing, stepping-out-of-the-box, kicking-the-dirt major league baseball player to shame. In an LPGA world where everyone plays slow, Kerr still sticks out - to the Ben Crane extreme.

I watched her take 10 minutes over her second shot on the ninth hole late Friday night. Ten minutes on one shot with the sun going down and other groups that had been rain delayed fidgeting back on the tee and Lorena Ochoa not so happily waiting by the green. Frankly, it’s painful to endure a Kerr round.

She is golf’s version of the Human Rain Delay. Which no doubt has Annika Sorenstam - one of the few little nonsense players out here - thrilled to be paired up with Kerr in today’s final round.

A lot of casual golf fans only know Kerr as the woman who used to be fat, became skinny and then started winning - including last year’s Women’s Open at Pine Needles. That only provides the slightest clue into Kerr’s psycho nature though.

When she moved within two shots of the lead in the second round, she gave one of the shortest interviews you’ll see on a Tour where 99 percent of the players go out of their way to be press friendly. After Kerr excused herself, one veteran golf writer cracked, “That was Mickelsonesque.”

Then, like Mickelson at an Open, Kerr quickly fell off the leaderboard afterwards. She shot a 75 on Saturday and is one under for the Open, eight shots back of the lead now held by Inbee Park, heading into her seventh hole of today’s final round.

5 comments

I think you are way off base. I have followed Cristie Kerr for years. She does NOT normally take a long time over the ball. She is NOT a psycho. You should not write things based on one observation. If she truly took 10 minutes, she would have been penalized. Cristie is a very dedicated golfer who is in a zone when she plays. Why not criticize Paula Creamer who slams her club into the ground and whose body language is so over the top? Cristie always acts like a professional. Paula acts like a baby when she misses a putt. Did you happen to notice how Cristie reacted when Annika hit the eagle. She was thrilled. My suggestion to you is, watch more tournaments and then you will get a better feel for the players.

I met Cristie at an autograph session during the open last week, and she was anything but psycho. She was pleasant, very gratefull, and took the time for a quick picture. I love to watch her play. I love her spunk, her comments during play, and her drive. Would you rather watch a player with no emotion (there are a few)? Kudos to her for changing her looks through hard work and not through surgery (except for the eyes). She's worked hard, is often overlooked, and is a winner. She did win the open last year. As for taking so long... have you watched any of the guys???? They take so long on the green that I have time to make a sandwich, grab the mail, pay some bills, and still watch them putt! Keep it up Cristie, I love it!

Connie, it was definitely at least 10 minutes. I timed it on my watch after Kerr was a few minutes into her putting-the-shot-off-hysterics. She even made Ochoa and Uribe hit before her even though she was away.

And you say she would have been penalized? Please, you'd have to retreat into the woods and start building a tree house to get a slow play penalty on either Tour. Sure, the LPGA did it in one case this year, but if you've ever watched the game in person you know it had to be a beyond ridiculous case.

And Stacy, as I said Kerr being a psycho is not all bad. Funny that you mention that great quote she gave on Annika's shot - and it was a great quote. Even before she made it, Kerr made sure to tell the media she only had a few minutes, setting up another quick press blow off. And she was the only player to do that again on Sunday too. And then she hung around talking to her friends for a long time.

Kerr's batty, which doesn't mean she can't be fun to watch. Sometimes, it makes her more fun to watch. But she's absolutely bonkers.